City of Clarkston -- Elected City Council
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Emanuel Ransom 
Emanuel Ransom is a native of Pennsylvania and born to Rev. Charles Ransom and Frances Ransom. He had a twin brother Enoch and a sister Elaine who are both deceased. A longtime resident of his adopted City of Clarkston he exudes a sense of excitement whenever he speaks of how much closer his “dream “ is to “becoming a reality." The reality he envisions is the eventual full-scale development of downtown Clarkston. Emanuel has worked long and hard to help realize another dream the Clarkston Community Center. He became a board member in 1991, when he chaired a citizen group that helped rejuvenate the Center. He has served as Vice President of the board of directors, chairman of Building and Grounds, and served on the Programs and Finance committees, and spends considerable volunteer time making sure the Center stays in working order. He has served as President of the Clarkston Community Center and has accomplished his dream of overseeing the 2.4 million dollar renovation which became a reality on September 8, 2007.
While serving in the military he acquired his college degree in social science. In addition to his valuable contribution of time and talent in support of the Center and our City, his record stands on it’s merit. He has served as chairman of the Zoning and Review Commission, and was a member of the Downtown Development Board, the LCI Core Team, and was a DeKalb County Voter Registrar for four years. He is an American Legion member, a retired Scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts of America troop #329, and from its conception a member of Vision 20/20 which is now the Clarkston Health Collaborative, and served two terms as President of Image Clarkston. He is active within the DeKalb Municipal Association and the Georgia Municipal Association. He has served on the HOST committee for commissioner Burrell Ellis, and has worked closely with the Mayor to acquire grants for our city from DeKalb County and the State of Georgia.
He further educates himself by attending classes at ARC on what is needed to reach our goal for redevelopment. He also serves the City as Master of Ceremonies for the annual tree lighting celebration. Mr. Ransom has served one term as a Councilman where he headed Community Affairs for our City. He has an open door policy in helping things to get done, and it also alerts him to problem that have quick solutions. He has a good working relationship with DeKalb County Commissioner Burrell Ellis, Senator Gloria Butler, and Rep. Karla Drenner and he attends meetings with Super Commissioner Kathy Gannon. With change comes responsibility and he is committed to serving the City and the Mayor in helping to bring Clarkston into the 21st century. He strongly believes that involved citizens can make a difference through their volunteer efforts, “Working as a team is what’s it’s all about.”
Warren Hadlock
Warren Hadlock was born and raised in Forest Park, Georgia where he graduated from Forest Park High School in 1971. He graduated from Georgia State University in 1980 with a B.A. in History. Warren joined the Peace Corps in 1982 and served in Benin, West Africa until March, 1985. After returning to the United States, Warren went back to school to gain certification as a teacher, first in History and then in French. In the late 1980’s Warren started his own ceramic tile and stone installation business which is still his vocation.
Warren became active in environmental and social issues as a teenager and that interest and activity has continued to this day. His first years of involvement with the City of Clarkston were as an activist for Friendship Forest Wildlife Refuge. He helped in its formation as a volunteer, and continues to work for its improvement as a Council member.
Warren has also served as a volunteer member of the City’s Comprehensive Plan Commission, the committee to rewrite the City’s zoning ordinances, and as a member of Board of Directors of the Clarkston Community Center. During his first term on the City Council, he has served as Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Committee. As such, he spearheaded the design and construction of the Clarkston Dog Park in Milam Park and has pursued grants for the City’s parks, including a grant for $500,000 to be used to rebuild the City’s swimming pool complex.
Warren became Chairperson of the Finance Committee in January, 2010. He looks forward to working harder than ever to make Clarkston the most efficiently run city it can possibly be. Warren believes that the City has many great years ahead and he is especially proud to be working with such a great new group of Council members and Mayor Tygrett.
Dean Moore
Dean Moore and his wife have lived in Clarkston for almost 13 years. He has served the City as a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission for two years. He is very much looking forward to serving on the City Council.
Dean is a construction superintendent specializing in commercial projects such as churches, hospitals and public buildings. He owns his own home inspection business based in Clarkston. He brings a wealth of knowledge regarding building, zoning and business development to the Council. His first priority for the City is to hold commercial and residential developers to high standards of quality and safety. His vision for Clarkston is to bring about safety and prosperity.
Joan Swaney
Joan Swaney is a native Georgian and has lived in the City of Clarkston for the past 31 years. She is married to former Mayor Lee Swaney and has two children and two grandchildren. She worked for MetLife Insurance Company as an Administrative Assistant before retiring in 2001 after 38 years of service. During her tenure with MetLife she obtained two degrees from the Line Office Management Association for Life Insurance Carriers. She was licensed by the State of Georgia to sell insurance and securities. She has a degree in Business Management.
Joan and Lee are members of the Clarkston United Methodist Church where she participates as Chairperson for the Staff Parish Committee, Secretary for the Administrative Council, Secretary/Treasurer for United Methodist Women and is a member of the Finance Committee, Nominating Committee and Hospitality Committee.
Additionally, she is actively involved with the City of Clarkston currently being employed part-time at the Clarkston Community Center since 2003 as the Office Manager and Secretary for the Board of Directors. She served the City by renting the Clarkston Women’s Club for five years and served as the recording secretary for the Planning and Development Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission for four years. As a Council member, Joan will be the Chairperson of the Police Affairs Committee and is looking forward to working with the other Council members and Mayor Tygrett.
Her major interests include reading, gardening and cooking.
Adam White
A New Jersey native and graduate of Rutgers University, Adam White has been active on the City’s Planning and Development Commission and Zoning and Review Commission as well as serving as the City Arborist for Clarkston. Applying his broad experience as an environmental professional, and currently working as a regulatory specialist with a federal resource agency, he is committed to strengthening the City’s priority of quality of life issues such as the value of street trees, transportation alternatives and watershed health. Adam understands that Clarkston has grown to become more of a “thoroughfare,” greatly losing its visibility as a picturesque town. By concentrating the majority of his attention during his tenure toward regaining this identity through close coordination with its residents, he seeks to maintain an awareness of the benefits as well as the actual costs to everyone involved. Adam will be chairing the Parks and Recreation Committee for his first year in office and looks forward to the excitement that opportunity will create.
Even before moving to Clarkston three years ago, Adam had already formed bridges with many of the City’s prominent immigrant and refugee communities through a locally-based social services organization he helped his wife to establish. Being a property owner in Clarkston, Adam is all too conscious of the necessity to exercise careful stewardship of the City’s limited resources, as such decisions have the potential to directly impact each of our daily lives. Further, as a parent of a young child, he feels a tremendous personal obligation to make a positive vision manifest for Clarkston’s future generations. Adam does his best to maintain an informal and accessible approach to local government, with the hope that by doing so, as many residents as possible will be moved to civic participation.
Dianne Leonetti
Actually, when I moved here from Buffalo, NY, in August, 1986, I began my Clarkston experience by working for the Christ Community Church. The church was located in what was the Billiard Parlor in the center of the Clarkston Business District - now For Rent. We were a “storefront” church. I worked there for 5 years. Little did I know that I would end up buying a home and living for the next 15 years in Clarkston and being elected by my friends, neighbors and residents of Clarkston as a City Councilwoman!! What a trip! And how exciting!
You can probably figure out why I moved down from Buffalo in ‘86 - too much sun – not! just a little joke, would you belive too much snow? Why did my husband, George, and I choose to make our home in Clarkston? I worked at Egleston Children’s Hospital at the time. One day I asked a co-worker where she lived and she said Clarkston. Like a lot of people might have asked, I asked where in Clarkston? She and her son lived in the MacLaren Neighborhood and loved it. I found out another co-worker lived in MacLaren, also. At that time, Clarkston was transitioning. I asked both of them if they would still be in Clarkston in 15 years. They both said “yes”! They are gone and we are still here 15 years later!
We drove in that night from Stone Mountain to check out the MacLaren neighborhood and found a home For Sale by Owner. Needless to say after looking at several in the surrounding area, but not in the city limits, we decided to buy on MacLaren Dr. We wanted to be in the City! I never regret that decision. We are a pretty mixed up neighborhood, with many different countries and cultures represented. I love it! I figure that is what Heaven will be like. I chose my neighborhood and the church I attend (Victory World Church) because they reflect all nationalities and cultures, just like Heaven will be!
I started the MacLaren Neighborhood Association almost as soon as we moved in. I could see that some of the families needed help learning how to take care of a home, their yard, the appearance from the street, etc. We send out periodic newsletters encouraging everyone to help keep our home values up. It takes a little work, but we do it back in MacLaren and we can do it all over the city. I am very proud of our MacLaren neighborhood neighbors.
Many of our neighbors have become active in the city, volunteering their time to help our city be the best it can be. They have learned that first you start at home and then you move out to help others. We have a long way to go in Clarkston. It has sometimes been discouraging, but we have never given up!
Our Councilmen and women have given tirelessly of their time to make Clarkston a place to call home. Their chapter in the book of Clarkston is called Laying the Foundation. I would like to personally thank past councilwomen Karen Feltz, Rosemarie Nelson, Pat Davis-Morris, Joyce Wade and councilmen Wayne Foster, Hein Nuygen and Mayor Lee Swaney for all the hard, sometimes thankless work they did laying the foundation for the City of Clarkston of the future! It was very much appreciated, if not always said!
With new people, there is a new excitement….a new hope. Dreams and visions come true with wisdom, belief in something bigger than you, sweat and hard work. It does take a team. I wanted to be a part of the team! Thank you for letting me be a part of the future.
Clarkston is to starting a new chapter – Title: Moving Forward ————> I hope you will be a part of Moving Forward. I want to be a part of Moving Forward! I hope we get to meet each other, if I don’t know you now. I want to know your vision for Clarkston. We can never be satisfied with staying the same. It is no secret that there is much room for improvement in our city. What is my vision for Clarkston? When I tell people I live in Clarkston, I want them to wish they did too!!!
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